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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Nigerian women are set to mobilize 10 million voices through the 2026 Women Mega Empowerment and Rally, targeting a key endorsement of President Bola Tinubu, a national charter of demands and grassroots empowerment across the country.
Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman, made the disclosure at a press briefing in Abuja.
Themed, “The Power of 10 million: One Voice, One Movement, One Choice,” the May 5 event at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium aims to integrate women’s groups from Nigeria’s 9,410 wards, delivering tangible outcomes beyond symbolism.
“This rally is not symbolic, it is strategic. It is a demonstration of the collective strength of Nigerian women,” she declared, outlining three major deliverables, including a public endorsement of Tinubu ahead of the general election, presentation of a unified women’s charter and seamless integration of local groups for sustained action.
She stressed the rally’s role in shifting dynamics from mere participation to real power. “This represents a transformative shift. It signals a movement from participation to power, from inclusion to influence and establishes women not just as stakeholders but as organised constituents with voice, structure and agency.”
She described it as an awakening rather than a one-off event. “What we are witnessing is not a programme but a paradigm shift. The voices of women are rising, not in fragments, but in force.”
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Logistically, the rally, running from 9am to 5pm, will feature delegates from every ward nationwide, supported by thousands of mobilised volunteers, rather than attempting to assemble millions in one venue. “It’s not about bringing 10 million women into one stadium,” she explained. “It is about mobilising 10 million voices and ensuring empowerment reaches the grassroots.”
The minister linked the effort to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises women, children and vulnerable groups. “Women are not beneficiaries, they are drivers of transformational change,” she said, underscoring inclusive growth as essential to national progress.
She praised the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu’s advocacy, saying, “Her work transcends ceremonial duty. It reflects a deep personal commitment to building a Nigeria that is inclusive and responsive to all.”
Economically, she positioned empowerment as a multiplier for prosperity, channeled through the ministry’s Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention 774 programme. This initiative targets women in all “774 local government areas with grants, skills training and enterprise support.
“Empowerment of women is not a social gesture, it is an economic imperative. When women are empowered, the nation multiplies its productivity,” she said.
Supporting voices amplified the call to action. Nigerians in Diaspora Commission Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the rally as unprecedented, urging women to shape the narratives on the government’s reforms. “We are not telling the story enough. But when women come together, they can speak more powerfully than anyone.”
Organising Committee Chairman, Zainab Ibrahim emphasised cross-divide unity, saying, “This is not just a rally, it is a movement. It will allow women to think, plan and act as one for collective progress.”
